Review: Benchmark AHB2 Amp
pearsall001
Posts: 5,235
in Electronics
Well not really. Just a few pictures comparing the size difference between the A21+ an 80 lb. back breaking monster & the AHB2 a 12.5 lb. easy on the back contender.
A little too early to report on the comparison between the two. Stay tuned.
A little too early to report on the comparison between the two. Stay tuned.
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
Comments
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In with 27.....
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It's so cute 🤣
Like a wittle baby. -
It definitely is "wittle" but let that fool you."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up.
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Fixed it for yapearsall001 wrote: »It definitely is "wittle" but don't let that fool you.
I see cables hooked up to the little guy, which means some listening is occurring. I have posted thoughts about my experience with the AHB2, so curious to read your findings. With your tube pre, there could be some real magic when combined with the AHB2. I'm sure you'll experiment with the input sensitivity setting options on the rear.
"This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
Fixed it for yapearsall001 wrote: »It definitely is "wittle" but don't let that fool you. I see cables hooked up to the little guy, which means some listening is occurring. I have posted thoughts about my experience with the AHB2, so curious to read your findings. With your tube pre, there could be some real magic when combined with the AHB2. I'm sure you'll experiment with the input sensitivity setting options on the rear.
Well I'll be brief here just to get some quick thoughts out about the A21+ & AHB2 comparison.
I'm almost ready to head on up to the attic & bring down one very large box for shipping purposes.
More listening time is needed to finalize my decision. More to come."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
Not a “wittle” box, eh? 🤔😜
Brian
One-owner Polk Audio RTA 15TL speakers refreshed w/ Sonicap, Vishay/Mills and Cardas components by "pitdogg2," "xschop" billet tweeter plates and BH5 | Stereo REL Acoustics T/5x subwoofers w/ Bassline Blue cables | Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III integrated tube amp | Technics SL-1210G turntable w/ Ortofon 2M Black LVB 250 MM cart | Teac VRDS-701T CD transport | LampizatOr Baltic 4 tube DAC | Nordost & DH Labs cables/interconnects | APC H15 Power Conditioner | GIK Acoustics room treatments | Degritter RCM -
Not a “wittle” box, eh? 🤔😜
There ain't nothin "wittle" about this box!! 😳 Man oh man this has really been an eye opener or should I say ear opener!"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
pearsall001 wrote: »
Fixed it for yapearsall001 wrote: »It definitely is "wittle" but don't let that fool you. I see cables hooked up to the little guy, which means some listening is occurring. I have posted thoughts about my experience with the AHB2, so curious to read your findings. With your tube pre, there could be some real magic when combined with the AHB2. I'm sure you'll experiment with the input sensitivity setting options on the rear.
Well I'll be brief here just to get some quick thoughts out about the A21+ & AHB2 comparison.
I'm almost ready to head on up to the attic & bring down one very large box for shipping purposes.
More listening time is needed to finalize my decision. More to come.
In all my experiences in this hobby, you haven't given it enough time. I mean the damn thing isn't even broken in yet. The initial honeymoon is almost always positive because many times the new piece is "different" than the old piece of gear.
Even staying with Pass it took me months to be sure the XA25 was a keeper over the Aleph 30. They are completely different animals, but I had to be sure which one I preferred for the long run.
You can tell me that it was love at first listen, but boy, oh boy I can't tell you how many pieces of gear, cables and tubes I spoke too early about their virtues only to decide they weren't all that after proper evaluation.
Evaluation is a long term proposition. I take many months and many take weeks. But a couple of days.....I don't believe it.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Puritan Audio PSM136 Pwr Condtioner & Classic PC's | Legend L600 | Roon Nucleus 1 w/LPS - Tubes add soul! -
I believe it.
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Box up the A21 and put it in the closet. Two days before you need to return A2HB, hook up the poor ol A21 and audition it with someone young with good ears.Gustard X26 Pro DAC
Belles 21A Pre Upgraded with Mundorf Supremes
B&K M200 Sonata monoblocks refreshed and upgraded
Polk SDA 1C's modded / 1000Va Dreadnaught
Wireworld Silver Eclipse IC's and speaker cables
Harman Kardon T65C w/Grado Gold. (Don't laugh. It sounds great!)
There is about a 5% genetic difference between apes and men …but that difference is the difference between throwing your own poo when you are annoyed …and Einstein, Shakespeare and Miss January. by Dr. Sardonicus -
pearsall001 wrote: »
I bet! Pretty interesting sensation when the S/N ratio of your amp meets/exceeds your source. Suddenly you can literally hear so much more.
I will never sell my LA4 (or my HPA4) or my AHB2, great pre and amp! -
pearsall001 wrote: »
Fixed it for yapearsall001 wrote: »It definitely is "wittle" but don't let that fool you. I see cables hooked up to the little guy, which means some listening is occurring. I have posted thoughts about my experience with the AHB2, so curious to read your findings. With your tube pre, there could be some real magic when combined with the AHB2. I'm sure you'll experiment with the input sensitivity setting options on the rear.
Well I'll be brief here just to get some quick thoughts out about the A21+ & AHB2 comparison.
I'm almost ready to head on up to the attic & bring down one very large box for shipping purposes.
More listening time is needed to finalize my decision. More to come.
In all my experiences in this hobby, you haven't given it enough time. I mean the damn thing isn't even broken in yet. The initial honeymoon is almost always positive because many times the new piece is "different" than the old piece of gear.
Even staying with Pass it took me months to be sure the XA25 was a keeper over the Aleph 30. They are completely different animals, but I had to be sure which one I preferred for the long run.
You can tell me that it was love at first listen, but boy, oh boy I can't tell you how many pieces of gear, cables and tubes I spoke too early about their virtues only to decide they weren't all that after proper evaluation.
Evaluation is a long term proposition. I take many months and many take weeks. But a couple of days.....I don't believe it.
H9
I hear ya Brock but the difference is like night & day. I wasn't expecting anything like this at all. This damn thing simply opens up all windows into the music.
I'm not ready to throw the towel into the ring just yet but it ain't looking too good for A21+.
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
pearsall001 wrote: »
I bet! Pretty interesting sensation when the S/N ratio of your amp meets/exceeds your source. Suddenly you can literally hear so much more.
I will never sell my LA4 (or my HPA4) or my AHB2, great pre and amp!
Bingo!!! This thing is so quiet its uncanny. It's S/N ratio is like 132 from the first watt to the max, it doesn't waver. I never really got too caught up in specs but this is definitely let me hear so much more (as you mentioned).
Not done listening yet but unless things change I just don't see it going back.
I called Benchmark today to discuss what I was hearing & they politely laughed & said yep... they hear that alot from new customers. He said when your ready to even bring everything up a few more notches to consider one of their pre's. It just keeps getting better & better they said.
"2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
I think the low gain is probably the biggest difference you are hearing. You're getting more effect from the preamp which is probably a very good thing. Honestly nobody, not even the best golden ears, can hear the actual difference between a SNR of anything beyond 110dB. Most in our later years probably can't discern beyond 95dB. It is nice to see an amp designer using lower gain. Let us use our preamps beyond ~30% on the dial!
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You're getting more effect from the preamp which is probably a very good thing.
Yes, that's true as the AHB2 imparts no real sonic character of it's own, so you'll be able to more clearly hear the attributes of your upstream components (and cables).
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I experimented with several types of XLRs between my LA4 and AHB2 back when I first got them. It was plain as day to hear the differences of the XLRs in this position. I think I tried at least 5 different types and then settled on what I preferred.
With neither the LA4 or AHB2 having any real sonic coloring of their own, the XLRs running between them made a much more impactful difference than you might expect. -
At one point, I had a Benchmark stack of a DAC3/HGC, feeding into an HPA4 preamp, and then into an AHB2 power amp. Eventually, I took the AHB2 out of the chain. The only real reason was that I wanted to experiment with other power amp topologies.
It all depends on listener preferences. I often consider replacing my HPA4 preamp, but man, it is so transparent, and has so many adjustment options...I can't ever justify taking it out of the chain. I personally love the transparency offered in the HPA4...which has the headphone output."This may not matter to you, but it does to me for various reasons, many of them illogical or irrational, but the vinyl hobby is not really logical or rational..." - member on Vinyl Engine
"Sometimes I do what I want to do. The rest of the time, I do what I have to." - Cicero, in Gladiator
Regarding collectibles: "It's not who gets it. It's who gets stuck with it." - Jimmy Fallon -
I think I know what's happening here with my listening experience. As we all noise is a big culprit that affects everything in the audio chain & that certainly pretains to the amp.
With the AHB2 in the chain & due to it's topology & vanishing low noise it simply lets the other gear strutt there stuff without adding any more noise into the signal.
An easy way to explain what I'm hearing is simply more of what's already there on the recording. Without a doubt the sound is more robust & engaging. Like a fine piece of art on a canvas but now transferred to a much larger canvas. Same art just more of it. Just the way I'm hearing things."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
I never heard a Benchmark amp, but the guy who sold me my 50-pound Eastern Electric M520 integrated had it replaced by the Benchmark pre and power amp. At the time, I thought they were “cute”. In reading Drew’s past reviews and posts here, I’ve grown to trust his opinions.
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These are the speakers involved?
"Two Channel:Magnepan LRS"Speakers: Polk Lsim, ATC SCM19 v2, NHT SuperzeroSpeaker Cables: DH Labs, Transparent, Wireworld, Canare, Monster: Beer budget, Bose ears -
I experimented with several types of XLRs between my LA4 and AHB2 back when I first got them. It was plain as day to hear the differences of the XLRs in this position. I think I tried at least 5 different types and then settled on what I preferred.
With neither the LA4 or AHB2 having any real sonic coloring of their own, the XLRs running between them made a much more impactful difference than you might expect.
Did you try any of Benchmarks cables? What XLR cables did you go with."2 Channel & 11.2 HT "Two Channel:Magnepan LRSSchiit Audio Freya S - SS preConsonance Ref 50 - Tube preParasound HALO A21+ 2 channel ampBluesound NODE 2i streameriFi NEO iDSD DAC Oppo BDP-93KEF KC62 sub Home Theater:Full blown 11.2 set up. -
I haven't tried Benchmark's XLRs but I have tried their Canare Star Quad speaker cables and they sound excellent, imo.
I ended up using the Audioquest Yukon XLRs as I enjoyed their sound signature the most, perhaps due to the silver content.
